The main goal of the present paper was to synthesize the polyvinyl alcohol-SiO₂ nanoparticles polymeric membrane by wet-phase inversion method. The efficiency of prepared membranes (without and with SiO₂) was investigated using a versatile laboratory electrodialysis system filled with simulated wastewaters that contain zinc ions. All experiments were performed at following conditions: the applied voltage at electrodes of 5, 10 and 15 V, a concentration of zinc ions solution of 2 g L⁻¹, time for each test of 1 h and at room temperature. The demineralization rate, extraction percentage of zinc ions, current efficiency and energy consumption were determined. The polymeric membranes were characterized by Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy-Attenuated Total Reflection (FTIR-ATR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The higher value of percentage removal of zinc ions (over 65%) was obtained for the polymeric membrane with SiO₂ nanoparticles, at 15 V. The FTIR-ATR spectra show a characteristic peak located at ~1078 cm⁻¹ assigned to the Si-O-Si asymmetrical stretching. SEM images of the polymeric membrane with SiO₂ nanoparticles show that the nanoparticles and polymer matrix were well compatible. The impedance results indicated that the SiO₂ nanoparticles induced the higher proton conductivity. The final polymeric membranes can be used for the removal of various metallic ions, dyes, organic or inorganic colloids, bacteria or other microorganisms from different natural waters and wastewaters.

Magnesium–aluminum (Mg-Al) and magnesium–aluminum–nickel (Mg-Al-Ni) layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The adsorption process of Mn²⁺ from synthetic wastewater was investigated. Formation of the layered double hydroxides and adsorption of Mn²⁺ on both Mg-Al and Mg-Ni-Al LDHs were observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDX) analysis. XRD patterns for prepared LDHs presented sharp and symmetrical peaks. SEM studies revealed that Mg-Al LDH and Mg-Al-Ni LDH exhibit a non-porous structure. EDX analysis showed that the prepared LDHs present uniformly spread elements. The adsorption equilibrium on these LDHs was investigated at different experimental conditions such as: Shaking time, initial Mn²⁺ concentration, and temperatures (10 and 20 °C). The parameters were controlled and optimized to remove the Mn²⁺ from synthetic wastewater. Adsorption isotherms of Mn²⁺ were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich models. The obtained results indicated that the isotherm data fitted better into the Freundlich model than the Langmuir model. Adsorption capacity of Mn²⁺ gradually increased with temperature. The Langmuir constant (K_L) value of Mg-Al LDH (0.9529 ± 0.007 L/mg) was higher than Mg-Al-Ni LDH (0.1819 ± 0.004 L/mg), at 20 °C. The final adsorption capacity was higher for Mg-Al LDH (91.85 ± 0.087%) in comparison with Mg-Al-Ni LDH (35.97 ± 0.093%), at 20 °C. It was found that the adsorption kinetics is best described by the pseudo-second-order model. The results indicated that LDHs can be considered as a potential material for adsorption of other metallic ions from wastewater.

This paper reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the use of fertilizers obtained from leather waste, to ameliorate the agricultural soil quality. The use of leather waste (hides and skins) as raw materials to obtain biopolymer-based fertilizers is an excellent example of a circular economy. This allows the recovery of a large quantity of the tanning agent in the case of tanned wastes, as well as the valorization of significant quantities of waste that would be otherwise disposed of by landfilling. The composition of organic biopolymers obtained from leather waste is a rich source of macronutrients (nitrogen, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium), and micronutrients (boron, chloride, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel and zinc), necessary to improve the composition of agricultural soils, and to remediate the degraded soils. This enhances plant growth ensuring better crops. The nutrient release tests have demonstrated that, by using the biofertilizers with collagen or with collagen cross-linked with synthetic polymers, the nutrient release can be controlled and slowed. In this case, the loss of nutrients by leaching into the inferior layers of the soil and ground water is minimized, avoiding groundwater contamination, especially with nitrate.

The main objectives of this present paper were to indicate the immobilization of nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) onto a polymeric material (Purolite A400) and the synthesis of the polymeric material (A400-nZVI) through sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) reduction. The obtained polymeric material (A400-nZVI) was used for the nitrate ions removal from a simulated groundwater at different conditions. The polymeric materials, without and with nano zerovalent iron (A400 and A400-nZVI), were characterized trough the FTIR, SEM-EDAX, XRD, and TGA analysis. The analysis confirmed the presence of nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) onto the polymeric material (A400). The adsorption capacity of A400-nZVI, used as polymeric adsorbent, was evaluated by kinetic and thermodynamic studies. The obtained experimental results indicated that the nitrate ions reduction was fitted well by models: pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm. According to the kinetic model results, a reaction mechanism could exist in the stage of reactions. The higher value of removal nitrate (>80%) was obtained under acidic condition. The results indicated that the obtained polymeric material (A400-nZVI) can be considered as a potential polymeric adsorbent for different pollutants from groundwater and wastewater.

Collagen is a non-toxic polymer that is generated as a residual product by several industries (e.g., leather manufacturing, meat and fish processing). It has been reported to be resistant to bacteria and have excellent retention capacity. However, the recovered collagen does not meet the requirements to be used for pharmaceutical and medical purposes. Due to the scarcity of water resources now affecting all continents, water pollution is a major concern. Another major field that could integrate the collagen generated as a by-product is wastewater treatment. Applications of collagen-based materials in wastewater treatment have been discussed in detail, and comparisons with already frequently used materials have been made. Over the last years, collagen-based materials have been tested for removal of both organic (e.g., pharmaceutical substances, dyes) and inorganic compounds (e.g., heavy metals, noble metals, uranium). They have also been tested for the manufacture of oil-water separation materials; therefore, they could be used for the separation of emulsified oily wastewater. Because they have been analysed for a wide range of substances, collagen-based materials could be good candidates for removing contaminants from wastewater streams that have seasonal variations in composition and concentration. The use of recovered collagen in wastewater treatment makes the method eco-friendly and cost efficient. This paper also discusses some of the challenges related to wastewater treatment: material stability, reuse and disposal. The results showed that collagen-based materials are renewable and reusable without significant loss of initial properties. In the sorption processes, the incorporation of experiments with real wastewater has demonstrated that there is a significant competition among the substances present in the sample.

The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity of tomato powders obtained from whole tomatoes of three local cultivars—Andrada, Hera, and Kristinica—using the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay. The cultivars were grown in open fields without additional treatments or fertilizer application. Ascorbic acid was used as a reference antioxidant standard. Results indicated that Andrada powder exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, at 248.1 ± 5.3 µmol Fe²⁺/100 g, followed by Hera (235.6 ± 4.9 µmol Fe²⁺/100 g) and Kristinica (212.8 ± 5.1 µmol Fe²⁺/100 g), while ascorbic acid, used as a positive control, showed the highest overall antioxidant capacity (260.0 ± 4.5 µmol Fe²⁺/100 g). The high lycopene and flavonoid content of the analyzed powders supports their potential as functional ingredients in food applications and their use in horticulture. This research is particularly relevant as it promotes a sustainable approach for the utilization of tomato products, aligning with the principles of circular agriculture.